St Mirren midfielder Keanu Baccus says he is “absolutely buzzing” at the chance to play in Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup Final against Celtic after returning to the club in the summer.
The Australian international played a key role in Saints’ first top-six finish in 2023 and European qualification the following season before moving to England, and he admits the prospect of big occasions like this was a major factor in his decision to come back.
“I’m absolutely buzzing,” Baccus said. “You don’t get a lot of opportunities to play in finals. My first time at Hampden was the semi-final and it was an amazing feeling, and now another one on Sunday. I can’t wait.”
Baccus says the squad are fully aware of the significance of the occasion and how rare these chances can be in a player’s career.
“You can go through your whole career, play so many games and then look back and there’s not many trophies to your name,” he said. “So it’s a big chance on Sunday for us and as a group we know that.
“I was here for two years before and didn’t get this opportunity. There’s still a chunk of players here who didn’t get it either, so everyone knows how big it is.”
The midfielder admitted watching Saints’ European run after his departure only reinforced his desire to return.
“When I was here, the objective was to make top six and we did that two years in a row, which was amazing,” he said. “I moved on and didn’t get to play my part in the European stuff, but watching the boys on those European nights, it just looked amazing.
“That was definitely a big reason why I came back. I didn’t know it would happen so soon, but it’s an amazing feeling to be part of a cup final.”
Baccus says settling back in has been straightforward, helped by familiar faces and clear communication from the coaching staff.
“It’s been very good,” he said. “There were still a lot of players here that I knew, good mates and good people around the place, including the staff. It made it very easy to come back in.
“We just need to get that momentum back and I think the win against Dundee was important for that.”
The midfielder was also pleased to get back on the scoresheet recently.
“Finally,” he laughed. “A lot of people were telling me that. I’ve had a fair few shots this season, so it was nice to get the tap-in.”
Looking ahead to Sunday’s opponents, Baccus expects a stern test but insists Saints will approach the final with confidence.
“There’s no bigger feeling than playing Celtic,” he said. “They’ve been there or thereabouts for years and you kind of expect them to be in finals.
“But we’ve gone toe-to-toe with them in the last couple of games. The margins have been really small and we take a lot of heart from those performances.”
Despite Celtic scoring late winners in both league meetings this season, Baccus believes Saints can take belief from how tight those matches were.
“That last one, you’re unlucky to concede like that late on,” he said. “That strike, you can’t do much about it. But we remember those performances.
“It’s another game, another battle, and come Sunday we’ll be ready for it.”
Baccus echoed manager Stephen Robinson’s message of respect without fear going into the final.
“There’s nothing to lose,” he said. “We go front foot, positive, give it our best shot. We’re confident, especially coming off the win, and if we play like St Mirren we’ll give it a great crack.”
He also praised the backing Saints will receive at Hampden, with more than 13,000 supporters expected.
“Massive,” he said. “Every away game, every home game, the fans turn up in numbers. The semi-final atmosphere was brilliant and we want that again on Sunday.
“They’re definitely a 12th man for us.”
You can view the full interview here on St Mirren’s You Tube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7bikBYB78Q.
Headline image: Keanu Baccus